The basic internal combustion engine has proven to be a reliable, flexible and highly effective source of power in a great number of applications and industries. Internal combustion engines have been applied to very small portable applications such as handheld and equipment as well as to large commercial or industrial environments such as manufacturing facilities, power and utility companies and to a virtually endless variety of vehicles. While the design and fabrication of internal combustion engines has varied substantially over time to meet different application requirements, the basic internal combustion engine is relatively simple and direct. Internal combustion engines generally include one or more cylinders within which a piston is moved in a reciprocating motion profile under the direct drive of a connecting rod and crankshaft. The crankshaft is rotationally supported by the engine block and provides eccentric couplings for the piston connecting rods. A system of valves controls the introduction of a fuel/air mixture into the combustion chambers of the cylinders and a source of ignition, such as a spark plug or the like, ignites the compressed fuel/air mixture and the fuel burns driving the piston through its power stroke. The power stroke of the piston causes rotation of the crankshaft and rotational power, or torque is produced.
Generally speaking, internal combustion engines may be divided into two cycle and four cycle engines. Two cycle engines, also referred to as “two-stroke engines”, acquired their name based upon the operational characteristic by which the reciprocating piston is moved through two strokes, or movements, during each engine cycle. The first stroke occurs following fuel ignition in which the piston moves downwardly in a power/exhaust stroke. The second stroke occurs as the piston moves upwardly in a intake/compression stroke. Thus, a charge of compressed fuel/air mixture is ignited and burned and thereafter exhausted from the engine during each rotation of the crankshaft.
Conversely, four cycle engines, also referred to as “four-stroke engines”, acquired their name based upon piston movement through four piston strokes during each operational cycle. Accordingly, each piston in a four stroke internal combustion engine moves downwardly through an intake stroke, drawing fuel/air into the cylinder and upwardly through a compression stroke in which the fuel/air mixture is compressed. Once the fuel/air mixture is compressed, it ignition takes place and the piston moves downwardly through a power stroke. Finally, the piston moves upwardly through an exhaust stroke in which burned gases are exhausted from the cylinder. In a four stroke engine the crankshaft is rotated twice for each engine cycle.
For both two-stroke and four stroke internal combustion engines, practitioners in the art have endeavored to increase the power output and fuel efficiency of the engines. Efforts to provide such improvements have typically involved systems for increasing the amount of fuel/air mixture is injected or drawn into the combustion chambers of the engines. These efforts have included reason according to external apparatus such as blowers, superchargers and turbochargers which essentially comprise air pumps or compressors that force air or fuel/air mixture into the combustion chambers of the engines under great pressure. Blowers typically provide air pumps, or compressors, driving pressurized air into the engine carburetors. The power to operate the blowers is provided by a system of engine-driven belts, pulleys and/or gears driven by the engine crankshaft.
Superchargers, on the other hand, typically involve compressors or air pumps which compress a fuel/air mixture that is driven into the engine intake manifold. In similarity to blowers, superchargers also derive power from a system of engine-driven belts, pulleys and/or gears driven by the engine crankshaft.
Turbochargers provide air pumps or compressors deriving their power from a turbine energized by the flow of exhaust gases from the engine. Thus, turbochargers are in essence exhaust-driven blowers.
Unfortunately, blowers, superchargers and turbochargers have proven to be prohibitively expensive and complex in their structure and operation. When used in vehicles, they often require extensive additional within the engine compartment of the vehicle. Additional problems arise in the operation of such vehicles which may complicate throttle and control systems of the host vehicle. Throttle response is often compromised by such devices. One of the more vexing problems encountered in such devices is known generally in the art as “throttle lag” characterized by a “pause or dead spot” in engine response to throttle action. Such devices also may be found to reduce the fuel efficiency of the engine.
In the face of the continuing need to provide evermore improved internal combustion engine performance practitioners in the art have applied a variety of technologies. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,899 issued to Ikebe et al, sets forth an INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH AIR ASSIST FUEL INJECTION CONTROL SYSTEM in which an internal combustion engine of the type having a fuel injection valve is provided with an assist air supply device for finely atomizing fuel includes a swirl control device for producing a swirl in the combustion chamber of the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,076 issued to Cho sets forth an INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH AIR-FUEL MIXTURE INJECTION includes a structure for supplying assist air to an air-fuel mixture injection valve including a device for limiting the intake air taken by a compressor whereby a drive force of the compressor required for compressing air is reduced and fuel efficiency is achieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,393 and published US patent application 2005/0076881 in the name of Drew set forth an INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE with COMPOUND PISTON ASSEMBLY while U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,790 issued to Plevyak sets forth a DOUBLE CHAMBERED RECIPROCATEABLE DOUBLE ACTION PISTON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,216,753 and 4,414,944 set forth early attempts to improve the efficiency and performance of internal combustion engines. Finally, published US patent applications US 2016/0017845, US 2014/0144406 and US 2014/0076291 set forth more recent efforts to improve the efficiency and performance of internal combustion engines.
While the foregoing systems, devices and structures have, to some extent, improve the art and, in some instances, achieved commercial success, there remains nonetheless a long felt unresolved and continuing need in the art for more improved, efficient and powerful internal combustion engine which may be fabricated without prohibitively increased manufacturing costs.